Gotha Central Station: Renovation starts – environmental regulations in view!

Gotha Central Station: Renovation starts – environmental regulations in view!

Something is happening in Gotha: The renovation work at the main station is gradually taking shape. On June 17, 2025, the Federal Railway Office in Erfurt reported the timely receipt of the application documents for the planning law process, as Oscar on Friday reported. The city administration is pleased that the infrastructure project is progressing according to plan and the first steps towards modernizing the station have been taken.

A central element of the project is the relocation of the protected sand lizards, which is carried out in coordination with the lower building protection authority. The first capture period for the animals is already over, and a second one is scheduled for August or September. These measures are important for species and nature conservation. In this context, the Gotha construction company (BGG) and the BahnStadt project consultants are in close contact with the approval authorities in order to clarify the further process.

Structural measures and challenges

With the planned barrier-free expansion of platforms 4 and 5, Deutsche Bahn announced on June 5, 2025, Gotha Central Station will be strengthened as an ICE location in the long term. But not everything goes according to plan. According to information from MDR Thuringia There was confusion over responsibilities, which reportedly led to delays. Mayor Kreuch contradicts the federal authority's statement and emphasizes that there was never any talk of the EBA being responsible.

The city of Gotha had forwarded all the necessary construction documents to the railway, which had to apply for a building permit from the EBA. Given these challenges, it is uncertain whether construction work can begin as planned in summer 2023. The city also sees itself under pressure because funding from the European Union must be used for specific purposes until 2027.

The city's ambitions

The total budget for the renovation of the station building is around 15 million euros. A loving renovation in historical style is planned to bring the west wing, which was destroyed in World War II, back to life. In addition to preserving history, space is to be created for shops and a bistro in the renovated station building.

The entire project is part of the larger “1,000 stations” train station program, which aims to increase the attractiveness and accessibility of transport stations in Germany. The Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure has prepared a financing volume of around 5 billion euros by 2030 to modernize more than 3,000 train stations.

This comprehensive concept also aims to increase the quality of stay at smaller train stations and to take into account the challenges of accessibility. With the progress of the train station project, the city end of Gotha has taken a good hand in improving mobility for all citizens.